We got a notice this week full of phrases like “extremely critical conditions” and “to prevent catastrophic effects.” It said we’re not allowed to water our plants with sprinklers (at all), wash our cars (or airplanes), fill up our pools or jacuzzis (not that we have one), or run decorative fountains. We can water plants, by hand, during certain hours of the day, two days a week, but that’s about it.
It’s been very hot here — which won’t surprise anyone who is familiar with Texas summers — but, what’s been unusual is the lack of moisture. Since the beginning of the year, we’ve seen 6.81 inches of rain in the Austin area. A typical year (as measured by the last 30) would see 18.14 inches in the same period. Our little creek is completely dry. The community a few miles down the road is using dowsing rods (successfully) and is still facing the potential end of its water supply in a few short months.
So, you’ll excuse us if we get excited when we see something like the below:
When we hear thunder, the excitement level rises even higher. Actual rain makes us positively giddy — giddy enough for me to grab a camera and chronicle the filling of our beloved rain barrels.
P.S. Through it all the Austin American-Statesman has been providing updates on Facebook that never fail to make me smile, despite the direness of the situation. And then, today:
Whoa, high-tech rain barrels. Neato. Maybe we’ll have a chance to stop by the next time we pass through.
I have a whole post planned on the rain barrels (which are mostly Michael’s doing)! Did you catch how at the very end of the video the high-tech apparatus starts to fall apart? We haven’t had a lot of heavy rain with which to test it all, though we obviously have caught a decent amount of rain (Circa 550 gallons) even in our few short showers. I went out to try and fix the guttering and got soaked! Anyway, it would be great if you could come by and see our non-urban homestead! I even made cheese recently and totally thought of you and Stephanie, of course.